Zack is late
by PleaseforPeace
Summary: Zack is late. Why?
1. Introduction

**A/N; Set in the early stage of the second season. (they should have never wrote Zack off!)**

**Anyway, Zack is late for work because of... personal matters. I'm still deciding who he has been spending his time with ;)  
If you have any suggests concerning the matter, then please give me your opinion in the review section. OC/Bones/Angela/Camille/Booth?!  
**

---

Everything was usual that morning in the Jeffersonian. The 'squints' bustling about, cataloging the less lively and taking a brief moment to converse. It was then that Dr. Brennan, faithfully followed by her partner Special Agent Booth, stormed into the lab. Barking commands at the people behind her that carefully carried bags containing evidence, a corpse no doubt.

As parts, or shards of broken bone, was gently set to the examination table everyone bended in to get a look, except Booth who escaped to the corner with one hand clamped over his mouth. "Female, mid thirties," Bones said as she shifted around the table to get a better view. "Zack," she called and beckoned for her colleague to approach. When there was no answer she reluctantly looked up. Hodgins, Angela, Cam, and even Booth all stood present except Dr. Addy.

"Late," chimed in Hodgins with a smirk. He and Angela exchanging looks, and then held back the urge to laugh.

"Why?" she asked simply observing the state of the two, whom looked as if they were about to burst out laughing.

Before the shaking pair could answer a buzz went off, which had the whole team glancing back to see Zack turning around to swipe his card. With tousled hair and flushed cheeks he approached the gaping group, "present. Sorry I'm late."

Temperance took in his appearance. Hot and bothered from rushing, and a little too innocent for being late. Before she could ask for an explanation on his absence Camille interrupted, "why are you late? You better have a good excuse, Dr. Addy."

"He was getting busy," jeered Jack as Zack opened his mouth to respond. Angela burst out laughing, and the smirk on Hodgin's face widened.

When the two finally caught their breath all eyes were focused on Zack for the details. Some were skeptical, and some impatient. "I did have an.. Interesting night. The circumstances weren't planned and acted purely on impulse. Having I thought about it, I wouldn't have been late. I apologize for my thoughtlessness, and the inconvenient it has caused."

"You mean you slept with a _woman_?" Booth asked. He chuckled at the thought of what sort of woman she had to be, to be attracted to someone such as Zack.

Jack slapped him on the back like a proud father, "nice going Zack!" The young man looked to be in pain, but stood stiffly gazing at Bones.

"Fine, but don't let your personal life distract you from your professional. Clean the bones, Zack," her gloves snapped as she yanked them off and retreated to her office. Booth stared at Zack for a few more moments before trailing after her.

Letting out a sigh of relief he approached the table and got to work. Hodgins and Angela still gazing at him, but obviously daydreaming - possibly different scenarios that went down with Mr. Addy and his "hot" date. "I'd rather you didn't stare while I'm trying to work," he said without glancing up.

They agreed, but reminded him that he wasn't 'off the hook'. A metaphor he had been taught prior, it meant not out of the situation. Sighing, as he recalled the events of the night before. Everything happened so quickly, and a few things were still hazy. However, one thing was most certainly true - he had the most peculiar morning.


	2. Who

Dr. Brennan sat at her desk, reviewing and filing away reports. She had been so engrossed in work that even Booth had decided to retire. No one dared to interrupted until ten that night, but by then she had expected them to be gone. Her intuition was incorrect. For a light knock disturbed her from sorting through their most recent case, the thick pile finally thinning down. "Zack," she said glancing up only once to identify her visitor, "I assumed you had gone home by now."

He hesitated at the door frame, but still entered the room. "No, I just wanted to inform you that I've finished cleaning the bones... It appears that she was stabbed in several areas."

"So," Dr. Brennan began setting aside her work, "the cause of death was due to constant stab wounds?"

Zack shook his head, "not quite, the killer was careful not to make this a painless death... It's likely she bleed to death."

The anthropologist's eyes became sympathetic, "a terrible way to go, I'm sure." The young man nodded in silent agreement. "There wasn't any traces of blood where her body was found, so she was likely moved after her death..." Silence.

"I wish Booth was here," she finally said after considering her hypothesis.

He didn't blame her. Zack was the last person to ask about psychology. The room was silent once again, and Dr. Brennan stood considering a mental list of possibilities. "I'd best go," he said before heading stiffly for the exit.

"How? Hodgins left."

"Taxi."

"No need," she said stacking the piles of papers on her desk neatly, "I'll take you home."

"Thank you, Dr. Brennan."

--------

"How was it?" voiced someone that sounded like Hodgins. Zack flicked on the light to see the man stretched out on his bed - one he hadn't been on since Tuesday.

"How was what?" he asked frowning. He could already guess what Jack wanted to know, but there was no reason for him to eagerly answer. Shrugging off his jacket he sat down to pull off his shoes.

"Don't play dumb," Jack said annoyed - instantly knowing it wasn't the best wording to use for Zack, "just talk."

"I'm not playing dumb," the young man's brows pushed together as he yanked his other shoe off.

"Last night, Zack, how was last night."

He headed for the bathroom now, and quietly began to brush his teeth. "Fun."

"Yeah, I'm sure it was," he said with a smirk from the door frame, "but how was she?" Probing Zack when he didn't answer, but instead ignored him.

"Nice?" he questioned after spitting out a mouthful of water. Wiping his face on the towel next to the sink he glanced up to see Hodgins more annoyed then before. "What?"

"How was she in bed?"

"Oh," he said finally catching on to what his friend was so anxious to hear about. He turned back to the mirror and began to floss. "She was... Aesthetically pleasing."

"Man, you're blushing!"

"Am not!" he said suddenly looking offended.

"Okay, okay. I'll get you be, but I really want to meet this girl." He began for the exit with a satisfied grin, "soon, Zack."


	3. Forget

**A/N: Well, this is the third chapter. I hope you enjoy it. My mind wandered a lot.. while typing this. Hodgins is turning into a father figure(haha). I'm so sorry...**

**Feed back is excellent. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Hart Hanson's brilliance.  
**

He didn't sleep much. It felt like the second he closed his eyes his alarm went off. Instead, he had an hour worth of sleep. His body begging to sleep in again as he had that night. He wondered how his late night partner was doing, waking up at almost the same approximate time as he should. Sitting up, he wondered if he should call - just to clarify their relationship. That fateful night they met by chance, and came together, neither had the intention of continuing the relationship. He knew this well, but sometime during that rush of adrenaline and raging hormones he had became connected. All he wanted to know is that if he was alone with those feels, and if he wasn't than if they could possibly meet up again. Maybe it would grow into something more. But he couldn't get his hopes up. It was irrational.

Shedding the tee shirt he stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty and he was done. His mother was always strict about dental hygiene, and it rubbed off him and his siblings. He brushed back his floppy, brown hair that had grown out below his ears. Running his fingers along his scalp once to remember the feeling, but it wasn't the same with just him doing it.

-----

That morning he wasn't late. He and Hodgins actually showing up ten minutes early. So, Hodgins began to into a deep lecture how his study was unappreciated and how useful it could be while capturing a killer. Zack simply nodded, barely listening. Hodgins noticed this and watched, annoyed, as his friend fingered his cellphone uncertainly. "This is about mystery date, isn't it?"

Zack looked up, surprised. "Umm," he said slipping his phone into his pocket. "Say you and someone meet with... needs-"

Hodgins interrupted, "sexual needs?"

The young doctor nodded and continued, "needs that, well, need satisfying. So, you both come to a mutual understanding and use each other. There are emotional, and physical of course, attachments. After that night of satisfying one's needs... Is it pushy for one to call?"

Jack thought about this for several minutes. He wasn't sure what to say to Zack. It appeared that he had a one night stand with a girl, but had in the process fallen for her. It had to hurt. "Zack," he paused as he saw Angela walk toward the Jeffersonian with a coffee mug in her hand, "for once forget your rational, objective head and do what your heart tells you."

"Hodgins," Zack said with a heavy voice, "my heart doesn't talk."

"I was speaking metaphorically," he said rolling his eyes. "Just think about your desires. Act on impulse. You want to call, right? Then call."

"That's illogical," he said shaking his head. "I might destroy our relationship, and how is a phone call worth that?" Worse, he wasn't even sure if he could honestly admit to his own feelings. However, some small part of him wanted to dial the phone and demand an answer. What are your feelings? His heart ached. He desired their touch, but why was it? Was it hormones, or was it that 'love' everyone talked about?

"Whatever, man. I gave you my advice. Here is another wise word from my brilliance, you and I better go unless we want to be late."

Zack shrugged. The two entering the familiar lab. He glanced up to see Dr. Saroyan and Dr. Brennan pointing at a computer monitor. He understood the importance of their work, and his own. It demanded everyone's full attention, and he didn't have time to be brooding over emotional connections. He'd forget it. He'd forget the linger feelings, and the painful desire. He would do it. For now.


	4. Distant

**a/n; I tried to make this longer for those of you reading and enjoying (:**

**Enjoy chapter..Four!**

**Reviews = love.**

**Disclaimer: Hart Hanson's brilliance.**

**----**

Zack and Jack were up on the platform in a half a second. Dr. Brennan didn't even look up from her work to say hi, but Cam waved them over quietly. "Hodgins, we needed you to identify the particulates found underneath the fingernails and on the treads of the shoes," Cam explained quickly so she wouldn't interrupt Temperance during her work.

"I'm on it," he said with a nod, clapping Zack on the shoulder before retreating to his cubicle. Cam followed him - possibly to make sure he did as he was told without blowing anything up. "Beautiful," he said muttering to himself.

"Zack," Bones said waving over her former intern. Except he didn't see to follow. Instead, his eyes were directed at the floor and his mind in a different place. Zack was daydreaming? Zack never daydreamed. She couldn't imagine it. "Zack!" she called, louder this time. She would have snapped her fingers, like one might do to a dog, but it wouldn't work out with a pair of gloves on.

"Oh," he said glancing up - looking at a loss. "Sorry, you were saying?" he yanked on a pair of gloves before joining her side. Looking down at the bone she held in her hands.

She sighed. She liked Zack much better here, down on earth. "The scoring on the wrists suggest your theory was correct," she said pointing to the small indications on the bone, "there doesn't appear to be any fatal blow, so she probably did bleed to death."

Angela scrunched up her nose, "well, what a pleasant killer we have here. Making the poor girl suffer."

Zack shrugged, "the cuts are shallow and show signs of hesitation. It could have very well been suicide-"

"Who would do that to themselves?" Angela said in horror - gazing at the bones.

"We aren't here to come up with ridiculous theories. Stick to the facts," Temperance said setting the bone down again. Even if she didn't like it, Zack was right, the evidence was pointing toward suicide. There was no sign of struggle or bondage. What had the woman done to herself? Shaking her head, she slipped off her gloves - she had to stick to her own principle. "Zack try to identify the weapon used to create the scorning."

She was surprised to discover he followed her instead, "Zack?"

His hands rested in his pockets, and he nervously glanced around the room. "Dr. Brennan," he started - looking back to her, "are you mad at me?"

She considered this. She didn't particularly feel hostile toward him, but his current position did irritate. "No and yes. Listen, Zack, don't let your personal life effect that of your work. You seem," she racked her brain for the right word, "distracted."

----

Zack Addy distracted? He was not distracted. Dr. Brennan was observant and he did trust her judgment in the scientific area, but she never was an expert at psychology. Why did he even ask her? She was definitely wrong. He was completely focused, he had his mind on the case ninety-nine percent of the time.

He confronted Hodgins later at lunch break. His friend shook his head, "dude, you were in another world this morning. I've never seen you so, out there." Jack looked bemused by this, somewhat in concern, but mostly pleased to see his friend so human. The first time he met Zack he pictured him as an awkward, mechanic robot. Hodgins laughed. Zack, looked questionably at him. He had to admit that Zack had come a long way from what he was before, but he still did look like a thirteen year old. "I was just thinking about the first time we meet."

Zack's confused face began distant again. He pondered about the first time he had come to the lab. He felt the need to prove his abilities. He also remembered being asked, several times, what his age was and if he was lying. "Yes, people insisted I was lying about my age."

"Well, you did look twelve."

Zack looked trouble by this, "I do?"

"No, you look about thirteen now. You're growing up my friend."

"You didn't like me," he blurted out after swallowing a mouth full of mac-and-cheese.

"What?" Hodgins asked cocking him an eyebrow. He didn't expect Zack to pick up on what he felt the first day they met. He was like a robot.

"You didn't like me."

"Really?" he challenged - already knowing he was heading toward defeat. "What evidence do you have of this?"

Zack grinned. "Well, I was going to Dr. Brennan's room to ask about how she wished me to help catalog the remains in Limbo," he ate another serving of mac-and-cheese, "I overheard you talking to Goodman. You were expecting a hot woman or someone like Goodman."

Hodgins was miffed. "Fine. You win. And I still can't believe that shack you lived for three months."

Zack shrugged, "it was just for the necessities. A place to sleep and eat. YOU dragged me to your place. I was perfectly fine."

He shook his head, "you weren't fine, Z-man." Trashing his garbage he nodded to Zack, "I better go take a look at those particulates before Camille comes to find me. She's quite demanding, you know."


	5. Feelings

**A/N: Hello!  
I hope you enjoy chapter 5 of Zack is late! It was quite interesting to write. I hope I didn't stray off character too much. Disclaimer: Hart Hanson's brilliance.  
**

**---  
**

Zack worked quickly in his office. It wasn't really an office, but it was often where you could find the young anthropologist working without disturbance. He squinted at the bones. The scoring was shallow and thin. It matched that of a razor blade. A common tool one would use to inflict pain on oneself, quite the masochist their victim was turning out to be. He tested his theory, knowing Dr. Brennan would disapprove - but couldn't boot the facts, and found he was correct. The woulds inflicted from some sort of a razor, or a thin blade. He turned, to inform his former mentor of his discovery, and almost ran into Camille in the process. "Oh," he said skipping to the side to avoid a collision.

"Zack, where are you going in such a hurry?" she demanded with her palms to her waist. She looked flustered from their almost collision.

"To inform Dr. Brennan of my findings on our current case," he answered automatically - in a robotic monotone. He waited for her to move out of the door way, to let him off to discuss the case with Dr. Brennan, but she didn't move. Not an inch. Instead she crossed her arms, and looked at him expectantly. "What?"

Camille didn't answered, but returned his blank stare with her own superior look. After several minutes she sighed and explained irritably, "how about informing me of your findings Dr. Addy? I am your boss, might I remind you."

"Oh," he repeated as before when they had almost bumped into each other - like this was such a surprise. "The scorning on the bones was shallow, thin and most inflicted by some sort of razor blade."

"Good work," she said with a nod before stepping aside to let him off. She watched him stroll off to Dr. Brennan's office silently questioning how she'd take it. Dr. Brennan was logical, and would take the facts. However, Cam doubted she'd take the suicide scenario very well - even if the facts were pointing towards the theory.

----

As was predicted, Dr. Brennan didn't like the facts Zack presented. It all pointed toward suicide, and even Booth seemed to think it was. The woman was young still. Her whole life ahead of her, and she took it away. They informed her family, and then a man (introduced by the family) who had a crush on her for a while. The reacted the same - shock and the despair. The young woman, named Alexa, had disappeared without notice. "I honestly feel bad for the man," Booth said shaking his head sorrowfully, "he was too chicken to confess his feelings. Life is too unpredictable to live in with your feelings secret."

Zack and Bones gazed at Booth quietly. They shared a brief glance before listening to his heartfelt sigh of sympathy. "Yet, many people would agree with me, that one must suppress their feelings to form a mutual partnership without complications." She eyed Booth down, as if to challenge him to defy her logic.

Booth sighed, "yeah, sure, Bones. However, if you really feel for someone it must kill to keep that inside. You'll never truly be able achieve a regular partnership as long as those feelings exist. You're better off just saying what you feel. Heart not brain."

Zack had to admit that Booth did have a good argument. Relationships were so complicated. It gave him a headache. By suppressing his feelings he could continue to work normally. However, even though he promised himself to forget everything his heart still skipped a beat. He still felt the urge for physical contact. These desires and urges alien to him.

Temperance rolled her eyes at Booth, "it is possible these two people are just physically attracted to each other. Emotionally, they aren't connected and so once the need for sexual appeasement is through their relationship will die." Her and Booth stood inches apart, both glaring at each other.

"If you try to shut off those emotions you might as well shut off all emotions. You'll only hurt yourself by hiding your feelings - whether it be physical attraction or not. Life is too short, too unpredictable to do so.."

"That's not rational," Bones said shaking her head. "I'm sure Zack would agree with me on this one, right Zack?" she asked finally acknowledging his existence. When there was no reply the she and Booth tore their eyes from each other to see Zack was gone. "Where did Zack go?"

----

Act on impulse. That was the advice Jack Hodgins had given him earlier. And that what was the (once) logical, rational Zachary Uriah Addy was doing. He walked out anxiously on Dr. Brennan and Booth's debate. Only to find himself walking. He picked up speed, slowly, and soon he was running. He ran by Hodgins, his best friend looking questionably at his state in mind - slightly concerned. He almost bumped into Angela, who kindly shrugged him off. From what he could tell she was headed to Hodgins. The two would probably gossip about Zack's apparent dilemma.

Then, all too soon, he stood in front of her office. His hands balled up in a sweaty fist inside his lab coat. He didn't knock. She could see him standing, flustered, through the glass. Her eyes darted down to the papers in front of her. Giving him the signal to enter. He reluctantly did, suddenly regretting his thoughtlessness. Why was he so nervous? It wasn't a big deal.

"Zack," she stated writing down one last note before looking up to give him her undivided attention. He wished she hadn't. He wished she would look away. It only made this more difficult. "Why are you here?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

He stood, motionlessly in front of her desk. Struggling for words. "You've been avoiding me," he stated automatically. Watching for her reaction silently.

She sighed. "No, you've been avoiding me," she looked back down at her papers.

What? He never, not once, avoided talking to her. He felt annoyed that her attention on the matter was lost. Was he not important? Was those papers more important? "Have not," he stated a little childish, "you've been following Hodgins around. Using his irresponsibility, that has never bothered you before, as an excuse."

"Avoiding can be many different cases. Yours, you don't approach me," she spoke without looking to she his blank stare. "As for Hodgins, I have to follow him around to make sure he concentrates on his work."

"That night," he began, but stopped when she looked up. Ah, she was looking at him again, but her gaze wasn't a friendly one. He froze. But he couldn't take back what he had said, so surged on bravely. "I would like to investigate the feelings we felt, and whether or not certain attachments were drawn."

Her cold eyes softened a little. However, she didn't say a word. She looked back down, picked up a pen, and began to write. Zack felt regretted, until she held up a slip of paper. He took it, and retreated out the door. If it were rejection he'd much rather not embarrass himself further. He nervously flipped open the note.

_Dinner, tonight at seven. _

_- Camille._

**---**

**I hope you like who the mystery girl is! I've always thought this pairing cute, so I'm happy to support it. Then, the question pops up on whether or not I should continue this story. Perhaps I'll make a one shot on the night they shared together. That interesting night (;**

**Like, dislike? Review!**

**Edit-Flash backs were cut out. I will probably be using them on my second story - Some things never leave you. Thanks for reading!  
**


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